Man arrested on homicide charges in death of Falls toddler

Wednesday

Shawn Robert Felmey, 45, of Falls, was apprehended by Falls police and Bucks County detectives Wednesday in Melbourne, Florida, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

The December killing of a 22-month old boy in Falls has led to the arrest of his mother’s ex-boyfriend on homicide charges.

Shawn Robert Felmey, 45, of Falls, was apprehended by Falls police and Bucks County detectives Wednesday in Melbourne, Florida, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

In an affidavit of probable cause, investigators say 10 people, including five children, were inside the three-bedroom apartment at Commons at Fallsington where Brandon Warner was found dead on Dec. 18.

Injuries to the boy, which a medical examiner determined required “substantial strength” to inflict, were first reported in a 911 call from a relative after she was alerted by Felmey, according to arrest papers.

Members of the Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad found the child with swelling to his right eye and the right side of his head, with blood and vomit on his chin, authorities said in the affidavit.

During emergency treatment, Felmey, who was not the father of the boy, did not look in the boy’s direction or ask about his well-being, the criminal complaint states.

Brandon was later pronounced dead at Jefferson-Bucks Hospital in Falls, but a medical examiner said it was likely he had succumbed to his injuries several hours before the EMS crew arrived.

According to the medical report, the boy was “either thrown or swung” with strong force by an adult onto the basement floor and the person responsible would have known immediately that something was wrong.

Authorities say that interviews with those in the house indicated that Felmey was the only one in the basement during the early morning hours when the injuries were inflicted.

Felmey allegedly told investigators he was drinking that night, which he said adds to anger issues, according to court documents.

The man’s story changed over time, according to the affidavit, and he initially lied to investigators about his actions. He later admitted it was possible that he had an interaction with the boy, including that Brandon fell out of his arms while he prepared to change his diaper, the affidavit said, but he could not recall.

Brandon’s mother and another occupant of the home had reportedly found strange bruises on Brandon's face in the month prior to his death and suspected Felmey may have caused them, the complaint states. She allegedly saw Felmey shaking the child in October. Felmey told the woman he never hurt any of the children, according to the criminal complaint.

Felmey will be extradited to Bucks County to face charges of criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of a child, court records show.

In the course of is investigation involving Brandon Warner, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office re-examined the 2017 death of his identical twin, Dylan, and "came again to the conclusion it was an unexplained tragedy, but not a homicide," spokesman James O’Malley said.

Dylan Warner died at age 4 month of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. His mother did not start dating Felmey until 2018, according to prosecutors.

“The boy's death, as far as we can tell, is unrelated to this case,” O’Malley said

Bucks County Children and Youth Executive Director Lynne Kallus-Rainey confirmed last year that her office would be looking at Dylan’s death as part of a state-mandated review that is done when a death or near death of a child appears suspicious.

According to an obituary for Dylan Warner, he died “suddenly” on July 7, 2017, and he was survived by his parents and six brothers and sisters.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is defined by the Mayo Clinic as the sudden and unexplained death of a seemingly healthy child under the age of 1.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia contributed to this story.

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